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Gossamer Gear The Free 1P vs Mountain Laurel Designs SuperTarp Flat Tarp .5 DCF

Weight and specs compared for 2026 — and which one to choose.

Mountain Laurel Designs SuperTarp Flat Tarp .5 DCF is the lighter option — 627 g lighter than the Gossamer Gear The Free 1P (74% less weight). If grams matter to you, that is the one to beat.
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Spec Gossamer Gear The Free 1P Mountain Laurel Designs SuperTarp Flat Tarp .5 DCF
Weight 845 g · 0.845 kg · 1.86 lb 218 g · 0.218 kg · 0.48 lb
Brand Gossamer Gear Mountain Laurel Designs
Category Shelter Shelter
Gossamer Gear The Free 1P
845 g

Fully freestanding ultralight tent with classic double-wall design, 15D Robic ripstop fly, 8.7mm DAC NFLs poles. Ideal for ultralight backpackers seeking reliab...

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Mountain Laurel Designs SuperTarp Flat Tarp .5 DCF
218 g

Ultra-lightweight DCF tarp shelter at 7.5 ounces.

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Gossamer Gear The Free 1P vs Mountain Laurel Designs SuperTarp Flat Tarp .5 DCF: which should you buy?

If saving weight is your priority, the Mountain Laurel Designs SuperTarp Flat Tarp .5 DCF wins — at 218 g it is 627 g (74%) lighter than the Gossamer Gear The Free 1P (845 g). That said, the heavier option may justify the extra grams with more capacity, durability or comfort, so weigh the trade-off against how you'll use it.

See where both rank against everything else in this category on the lightest shelter page, or browse the full gear weight database.

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